H.R. 5002: Protect Americans from Climate Disasters Act

This bill, titled the Protect Americans from Climate Disasters Act, aims to enhance the capabilities of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and specifically its National Weather Service. Here are the key components of what the bill would do:

Reinstatement of Employees and Programs

The bill mandates the reinstatement of employees and programs at NOAA that were affected by staffing reductions and cuts. Specifically, it requires:

• The Secretary of Commerce to ensure that NOAA is fully staffed to provide timely and accurate weather data, forecasts, and alerts.
• The reinstatement of individuals who were fired or removed from their position at NOAA between January 20, 2025, and the enactment of this bill, provided they choose to return.

Continuation of Current Programs

The bill ensures the continuation of programs funded by Congress that help state and local efforts in preparing for and responding to extreme weather events. Notably:

• No changes can be made to existing programs that would limit access to resources for extreme weather preparedness.
• Programs that had their funding appropriated and support disaster preparation and response must continue operating.

Reinstatement of Products and Databases

Specific NOAA products and databases that had been eliminated must be reinstated under this legislation. This includes:

• The Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters product, which tracks the economic impacts of weather-related events.
• The NOAA Marine Environmental Buoy Database.
• The NOAA Global Ocean Currents Database.

Funding for NOAA

The bill allocates a total of $6,756,300,000 for NOAA for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026. This funding is intended to support various activities and initiatives at the agency to better prepare for and mitigate extreme weather events.

Background and Findings

The bill is based on findings that highlight the increasing severity and frequency of climate-related disasters, which have resulted in significant economic losses and fatalities. The findings indicate that:

• Climate change has led to more extreme weather events such as prolonged droughts, wildfires, heavy rainfall, and rising sea levels.
• Costly weather-related disasters are expected to continue increasing, exacerbated by urbanization and development in vulnerable areas.
• Staff cuts at NOAA have negatively impacted its ability to forecast extreme weather, with warnings that such cuts could endanger public safety.

Relevant Companies

• GOOGL - Google’s parent company could be affected if NOAA's data services and forecasting capabilities are restored, as they may rely on such data for their weather-related services and applications.
• AMZN - Amazon may be impacted by improvements in disaster preparedness and forecasting, which could influence its logistics and supply chain management in weather-prone areas.
• TSLA - Tesla operates in regions vulnerable to extreme weather and would benefit from improved weather data to enhance the safety and reliability of its operations.